Adjustable work supports for milling machines



Dec. 3, 1957 J. A. CRAIN 2,

ADJUSTABLE WORK SUPPORTS FOR MILLING MACHINES Filed March 21, 1956 2 She ats-Sheei. 1

INVENTOR; JAMES A. 67241:!

Ariana-y Dec. .3, 1957 .1. A. CRAIN ADJUSTABLE .woRK SUPPORTS FOR MILLING mamas Filed March 21. 1956 2 Sheets She. 2

INVENTOR. MES A6241 BY A 7'TORNE) United States Patent Q ADJUSTABLE WORK SUPPORTS FOR MILLING MACHINES James A. Crain, Hackensack, N. J.

Application March 21, 1956, Serial No. 573,004

6 Claims. (Cl. 90-59) This invention relates to milling machines, and more particularly to work supports therefor.

In milling keyways, flats etc. with end mills, owmg to their short lengths it is necessary for the work piece to extend a considerable distance over the milling vise to clear the same, thereby making it necessary to support the work from three directions, to wit, up, down, and horizontally. The usual method of meeting this situation has been to select a machinists jack, an angle plate, several thicknesses and lengths of flat stock plus different lengths of T bolts, then to proceed to build up support from the desired directions. If more than one piece was to be milled, the build-up had to be repeated after each piece was finished, as the build-up collapsed after the work was removed.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a work support to overcome the above difficulties and disadvantages of the old method above described, which can be set up in a few seconds thereby eliminating practically all set-up time. The instant support is versatile; it may take work pieces ranging, for example, between onehalf inch and three inches in diameter, and it may be changed to accommodate different types of work pieces.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following description wherein reference numerals refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood that the drawing is intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction shown or described except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view, looking down upon the table of a milling machine, with parts broken away and partly in section, illustrating the work support of the present invention in position for one of its possible uses in supporting one end of a work piece being worked upon.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the work support in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a similar side elevational view of the work support with its detachable part supported in a position at ninety degrees to the position thereof shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of having a different operation performed on the work piece.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l, with parts of the machine table omitted.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the work support per se, that is, looking at it from the left, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the work support showing its detachable part in yet another position, for supporting a work piece only from below.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the table of a milling machine, provided with the usual parallel T-shaped slots 11 adapted to receive T-bolts 12 to lock a member to the table at any position along the slots, and the numeral 13 indicates, merely for the ice purpose of illustration, the vise of the machine. Supported in the vise, merely by way of example, a shaft 14 is shown. In order for the machine to be able to operate on the shaft, as stated above, it is necessary to provide support for the free end 14a of the shaft.

The work support of the present invention is described as follows. The device comprises a relatively elongated base 15 adapted to be positioned on the machine table 10 at right angles to the T-slots 11, and the base is provided with a longitudinal slot 16. With a T-bolt 12 passed through the table slot 11 and the base slot 16, it is obvious that the base is positionable with respect to the table at any point throughout the length of the slots 11, and also at any position transversely of the table. In other words, the base 15 may be locked at any position transversely or longitudinally of the table.

A column 17, made rigid with the base 15 in any desired manner, rises from the base at that end thereof opposite to the base slot 16. The column has a slot 18 extending through approximately one-half the height thereof in the upper portion thereof and lying substantially in a vertical plane through the base slot 16. Throughout substantially the length of the column, a rectangular groove 19 is cut into that side of the column facing toward the right, Figs. 1 and 4; the width of this groove is larger than the width of the slot 18 and the opposed side walls of the groove are equally spaced from the adjacent side walls of the slot 18. A block 20 having substantially the same thickness as the width of the groove 19 comprises a base 21 and two side arms 22 and 23 at right angles to the base 21, the block having the general appearance of a yoke, with a cut-out 24, preferably rounded, between the arms and the base of the block. Aligned openings 25 and 26 are provided through the ends of the arms 22 and 23, respectively, receptive of work supporting set screws 27 and 28, respectively. A threaded opening 29 extends through the midpoint of the base 21 and receives a work-holding or set screw 30. The arm 22 also has a threaded socket 31 extending thereinto at, substantially, its junction with the base 21. Additional threaded sockets 32 and 33 extend into the base 21, parallel with the opening 29.

Assuming that the shaft 14. is to have its end 14a supported in position to be worked upon by the tool 34 actuated by the rotating head 35 of the milling machine, it should now be apparent that the end 14a is readily and firmly supported and held by the screws 27, 28 and 30, the screws also serving to position the shaft end in exact alignment with the end of the shaft held in the vise 13. Appropriate locking nuts 36 serve to hold these screws fast.

In the operation of properly positioning the block 20 for the above purpose, it is apparent that upon loosening the nut 36 on the screw 30, the block is free to he slid upward or downward along the groove 19, as the screw 30 passes through the column slot 18. Additionally for holding the block securely in the groove, two screw bolts are provided at 37 and 38, extending through the slot 18 and registering, respectively, in the sockets 32 and 33. These screw bolts are also loosened in order to permit sliding the block upward or downward.

Fig. 3 shows the position of the block 20 altered in that the arm 22 now registers in the groove 19, and the work piece 14 is positioned to be approachable from above, as by a tool 39, to cut, for instance, a keyway into the shaft.

When a work piece is to be supported only from underneath, the block 20 is positioned as shown in Fig. 6, with the base 21 at the top and with a single screw bolt 37a registering in the socket 31 of the arm 22, to hold the block securely against the column. The work piece 39 is here shown circular in cross-section, as before, merely by way of example.

It is apparent that .a simple, accurate, -efficient and timesaving work support has thus been provided, which is at the same time inexpensive in cost of manufacture and entails amiuinn-im oflparts.

I elaim '1. A device for supporting a Wonk piece'zadapted .to be workedmpon by-'asmachine tool, compris'inga baselhaving a column extending therefrom, said-column having :a slot therethrough substantiallyiin a vertical plane'through said baseislotzand'having a rectangulargrooveiin one side thereof in. :the same plane as the zcolumnslot and at least as longlas' the :column :slot, the width of said groove ;exceed ing the Width of the column slot, said groove having zits side walls :spaced outward from the sidewalls of .the ;columnslot, :a block lhavin'g substantially the thickness of said groove and rinchlding asflat base having two arms extending therefrom, the outer surfaces of said arms being fiat: and ratmightanglesto the block base, said :arms having aligned threaded openings in the ends thereof, said block base having a threaded opening .therethrough intermediate its length :and in thesame plane as said first-named openings, either of :said arms or said block base being selectively slidable in said groove, set screws mounted in said threaded openings, :said block being mounted on said column with either of said armsor saidblockbase registering :in said groove with the appropriate one of said set screws extending through said column slot, said setscrews being adjustable to support the work piece between the tips lthereofyand means for lockingat least said appropriate one of said setscrews against loosening.

.2. The device set forth in claim 1, one of said arms having .a threaded socket extending thereinto through the flat surface thereof and lying in the same plane as said threaded openings in'the ends of the arms and in the block base, :said block when said one ofsaid arms registers in said groove having-alocking bolt threadably'engaging said socket and passing through'said column slot.

3. Thedevice set forth in claim 1, said block base having additional threaded sockets extending thereinto in the plane :of said openings in the block arms and positioned on opposite sides of said threaded opening in the block base, additional locking bolts registering in said additional sockets andextending through said column slot when said block is positioned with the block base registering in said groove.

-4. A device for supporting a work piece adapted to be worked lupon by a machine tool, comprising a base having a column extending therefrom near one end of the base,

4 said column having a slot therethrough substantially in a vertical plane through the base, said column having a vertical groove in that side thereof facing the other end of the base, said groove lying substantially in said plane and having a greater width than said slot, the side walls of said groove being spaced outward from the side Walls of the slot, a substantially rectangular block having a flat base and having the two sides thereof adjacent the block base flat and at right angles to ithe'ibl'oc'k hase, saidblo'ckhaving a cut-out therethrough extending from a position near the block base through ithatside-tof the :block opposite the base thereby forming .said adjacent. sides into arms, said arms having aligned threaded openings therethrough, said'block base having a threaded opening therethrough intermediate its length lying in a common plane with said arm openings, said block being slidable in said groove with either of said arms or said base thereof selectively registering in the groove, :set screws registering in- :said armopenings, aiset screw registering in said base opening, said set screws being adjustable to lbrin gwthe (tips thereof into contact with the saidislot said :lastmamed one 'of saidzset screws.

5., tAldBViCBffOI' supporting :and positioninga workpiece adaptedxto be worked "upon by .atool compnisinga base having a columnv thereof, a: block slid'ably andnd'etachably mountedlon one rside of the colurnrt said block: having opposed .zarmsuforming twosides of the block andvhaving' a base joining said sides, adjustable means extending through the arms and ithrough the block base for engaging; the

work piece togsupportsandholdthe same, and meansfor locking the :blookrtoatheacolumn.

6. Theldev'ice :set iz'orthinaclaimS; "the outer surfaces of said block baseand said-arms being fiat,.said-surface'sof' said arms beinga't rightangles tosai'd surface of's-aid hloc'k base, said column having a vertical groove thereing-said bloc-k beingslidable :insaid. groove with, selectively, either of said arms 'or said block lbase registeringinsaid groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14.,29.9 Peterson May 8, 1917 602.965 Walker Apr. 26, 1898 2,118,260 'Marsilius May 24, 1938 2,625,861 Swanson Jan. 20, 1953 

